How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture | 9 ways to support DevOps adoption

DevOps is renowned for supporting technology development but it needs the right organisational culture behind it to work

DevOps has developed a reputation for promoting stable and continuous innovation. The term is a portmanteau of two words that have traditionally operated in isolation in pursuit of conflicting objectives: “Development” and “Operations”. As the name suggests, DevOps intends to bring them together to promote stable change and streamline the software delivery process.

A radical transformation of a team’s culture and mind-set is required to deeply integrate DevOps into regular working practice and reap the benefits of constant, fast and safe technological development.

Tom is Online Editor. He studied English Literature and History at Sussex University before gaining a Masters in Newspaper Journalism from City University. He's particularly interested in the public sector and the ethical implications of emerging technologies.

February 23, 2017

CIO UK

Share

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Google Plus

1. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Establish your objectives

Image: iStock/myshkovsky

Providing evidence of how DevOps can support the objectives of the organisation and a plan to realise its potential will offer a basis to build a business case for DevOps from every level of the organisation. Establish a strategy to reduce the risks and maximise the benefits of implementation.

The technology is only as valuable as the benefits it provides to the customer. Adopt a user-centric approach to the objectives and practices to ensure DevOps fulfils the needs of the organisation.

2. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Rethink processes

Image: iStock/SIphotography

Operations and development will both have deep-rooted systems and objectives. Bringing leadership from various areas of the organisation together will help establish a strategy for implementing changes that can be intimidating.

Rethink ways of working to establish a new DevOps approach and provide a strong foundation for adoption throughout the organisation and pilot the new approach to validate its potential.

3. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Get leadership on board

Image: iStock/istock-dk

The public commitment to DevOps from the leadership of both the software development and IT operations teams is essential if the remainder of the workforce is expected to embrace it.

Management and executives must ensure that the individuals they are responsible for are dedicated to and engaged with DevOps by visibly leading by example.

4. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Eliminate silos

Image: iStock/brytta

Development and operations teams need to be integrated by encouraging closer communications and working in collaboration to break down the silos so the two teams are working together towards shared goals.

The silos that limit progress don’t only contain staff. Information that is isolated is another major barrier to integration that needs to be either removed or replaced with more suitable divisions.

5. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Support feedback loops

Image: iStock/Alina555

A constant assessment of progress will help identify any weaknesses that need to be acted on and strengths that can be supported. These should cover each aspect of the workflows, from development and testing to release and monitoring.

The feedback loop supports a recurrent circle of information flowing across the value chain in both directions so everyone has the ability to identify any issues and fix them quickly.

6. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Share knowledge

Image: iStock/SolStock

The exchange of knowledge will reduce the possibility of failures that are a constant danger when different expertise aren't shared. It’s particularly powerful as a limitation to the disruption caused by changes and new systems.

It also engenders a collaborative environment where individual insights become integrated throughout an organisation in a continuous cycle of improvement, and offers staff the opportunity to learn new professional knowledge and skills.

7. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Focus on outcomes

Image: iStock/phototechno

Setting an outcome-orientated approach moves teams away from individual tasks they are directly accountable for to focusing on shared goals with a collective benefit.

The mutual incentive inevitably leads to better collaboration and a more natural implementation of change.

8. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Monitor uptake

Image: iStock/tonefotografia

Measuring performance thoroughly and monitoring DevOps practices closely allows any issues to be quickly identified and acted upon so behaviours are conducive to effective uptake.

Metrics should cover specific changes and the time taken over their development and deployment, and the stability of those changes by reviewing incidents and response times. The results will provide a basis to make stakeholders accountable for any problematic areas.

9. How CIOs can implement a DevOps culture: Record results

Image: iStock/Terminator3D

Promoting and maintaining a record of DevOps activities and their results provides tangible evidence of its benefits that will help attract the support of staff and their commitment to the methodology.

An aspect of this tracking that is probably best avoided is emphasising errors and the individual responsible for them. DevOps is a collective approach that must be backed by encouraging individuals rather than blaming them for any individual mistakes.